Finding the Absolutely Perfect Actor: The High-Stress Business of Casting

Published: April 6, 1994

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A couple of actors tried to set themselves apart by embellishing their scenes. In the script, Chandler gets a call on his "phone" from his mother, which he notes is "really weird 'cause she never calls me." One Chandler went on to add "on that line." The joke got a big laugh but did not seem to win any points with the writers. "We get kind of defensive," Mr. Crane acknowledged.

In a little over an hour, the session was over. Mr. Moonves labeled it "not a bad session, but not a great session." Some actors were termed by the group too "sitcom-y," some too theatrical. Some failed to show the sparkle they had demonstrated in earlier tryouts. The consensus emerged that only a few of the actors were ready for the next phase: auditioning over at NBC.

Before actors audition at a network, the studio negotiates what they will be paid if they get the part. The deal usually commits an actor not only to making the pilot, but also to spending five years on the series in the unlikely event it lasts that long. While fees for such commitments vary widely, it is not uncommon for an actor to receive $25,000 or more just for the pilot.

Network executives, rather than the producers, make the final casting decisions. Usually the two groups agree, but not always. And when the corporate and comic muses fall into conflict, it is generally less over truth than beauty. In these cases, studio executives, whose job is to sell the show, tend to side with the networks, reminding producers that sexiness can be a form of talent, too. 'The Crass Commercialism'

"My concern can't solely be the best actor," Mr. Moonves said. "I'm looking for people who are attractive. That's part of the crass commercialism the studios and the networks have to look at. I have to think, 'Am I going to have a TV Guide cover in six months, and what's that going to look like?' "

Casting an ensemble series like "Friends Like Us" presents one set of problems; casting a show with a strong lead character presents another. This season Ms. Kauffman, Mr. Crane and Mr. Bright are faced with both because they are also filming a second pilot, for Fox, that revolves around a 16-year-old boy.

Despite all the readings, meetings and call-backs, casting is ultimately a guessing game, and it is only when filming begins that the guess is proved wrong or right. (For the Fox pilot, shooting starts in about a week, for the NBC pilot at the end of the month.) The cast of a pilot frequently changes right up to the moment of filming, and sometimes beyond.

"You can be into production and see that first take and realize you made a mistake," Mr. Bright said. If deemed serious enough, the "mistake" is likely to be dismissed. And then the whole process starts all over again.

Photo: The search for the right chemistry in a projected television sitcom can involve scores of interviews. Huddled in an office were, from left, Kevin Bright, Marta Kauffman and David Crane. (Jim Wilson/The New York Times)